Fire damages 18 units of apartment complex near Carrollwood

Lightning is thought to have caused a fire Monday that tore through a 24-unit apartment building that is part of a complex near Carrollwood. Firefighters and Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies helped evacuate residents of the building at the Grande Oasis complex at 8699 Key Royal Lane after the fire broke out about 3:45 p.m. In all, 18 units were damaged, some heavily, according to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. More than 50 people were displaced. The Red Cross was assisting those whose homes were destroyed. Authorities said a maintenance worker riding a golf cart told them he heard a lightning strike and looked up to see flames developing on the building's roof. Hillsborough Fire Rescue battled the blaze for a little more than an hour before reporting that it was under control.

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue

An intense fire Monday afternoon tore through an apartment complex near Carrollwood. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue was on scene at 8699 Key Royal Lane, at the Grande Oasis complex, just after 4 p.m. Fire Rescue said the heavy flames were under control about an hour later. Eighteen of 24 units were damaged, some severely.